艮 Gèn Stillness (Immobility) [hexagram 52]
Earth element
Lunar month: 10 ; Host or Controlling line : 6
艮: 艮其背, 不获其身, 行其庭, 不见其人, 无咎. Gěn: gěn qí bèi, bù huò qí shēn, xíng qí tíng, bù jiàn qí rén, wú jiù.
When one's resting is like that of the back, and he loses all consciousness of self; when he walks in his courtyard, and does not see any (of the persons) in it, there will be no error.
彖传: 艮, 止也. 时止则止, 时行则行, 动静不失其时, 其道光明. 艮其止, 止其所也. 上下敌应, 不相与也. 是以不获其身, 行其庭不见其人, 无咎也. Tuàn zhuàn: Gèn, zhǐ yě. Shí zhǐ zé zhǐ, shí xíng zé xíng, dòng jìng bù shī qí shí, qí dào guāng míng. Gèn qí zhǐ, zhǐ qí suǒ yě. Shàng xià dí yìng, bù xiāng yù yě. Shì yǐ bù huò qí shēn, xíng qí tíng bù jiàn qí rén, wú jiù yě.Gen denotes stopping or resting; - resting when it is the time to rest, and acting when it is the time to act. When one‘s movements and pauses all take place at the proper time for them, his way (of proceeding) is brilliant and intelligent. Resting in one’s resting-point is resting in one‘s proper place. The upper and lower (lines of the hexagram) exactly correspond to each other, but are without any interaction; hence it is said that ’(the subject of the hexagram) has no consciousness of self; that when he walks in his courtyard, he does not see (any of) the persons in it; and that there will be no error.‘
象传: 兼山, 艮; 君子以思不出其位. Xiàng zhuàn: Jiān shān, gěn; jūn zǐ yǐ sī bù chū qí wèi.(Two trigrams representing) a mountain, one over the other, form Gen. The superior man, in accordance with this, does not go in his thoughts beyond the (duties of the) position in which he is.
初六: 艮其趾, 无咎, 利永贞. Chū liù: gěn qí zhǐ, wú jiù, lì yǒng zhēn.
The first ‘six’, divided, shows its subject keeping his toes at rest. There will be no error; but it will be advantageous for him to be persistently firm and correct.
象传: 艮其趾, 未失正也. Xiàng zhuàn: Gěn qí zhǐ, wèi shī zhèng yě.‘He keeps his toes at rest:’ - he does not fail in what is correct (according to the idea of the figure).
六二: 艮其腓, 不拯其随, 其心不快. Liù èr: gěn qí féi, bù zhěng qí suí, qí xīn bù kuài.
The second ‘six’, divided, shows its subject keeping the calves of his legs at rest. He cannot help (the subject of the line above) whom he follows, and is dissatisfied in his mind.
象传: 不拯其随, 未退听也. Xiàng zhuàn: Bù zhěng qí suí, wèi tuì tīng yě.‘He cannot help him whom he follows:’ (he whom he follows) will not retreat to listen to him.
九三: 艮其限, 列其夤, 厉熏心. Jiǔ sān: gěn qí xiàn, liè qí yín, lì xūn xīn.
The third ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject keeping his loins at rest, and separating the ribs (from the body below). The situation is perilous, and the heart glows with suppressed excitement.
象传: 艮其限, 危熏心也. Xiàng zhuàn: Gěn qí xiàn, wēi xūn xīn yě.‘He keeps the loins at rest:’ - the danger (from his doing so) produces a glowing, heat in the heart.
六四: 艮其身, 无咎. Liù sì: gěn qí shēn, wú jiù.The fourth ‘six’, divided, shows its subject keeping his trunk at rest. There will be no error.
象传: 艮其身, 止诸躬也. Xiàng zhuàn: Gěn qí shēn, zhǐ zhū gōng yě.‘He keeps the trunk of his body at rest:’ - he keeps himself free (from agitation).
六五: 艮其辅, 言有序, 悔亡. Liù wǔ: gěn qí fǔ, yán yǒu xù, huǐ wáng.The fifth ‘six’, divided, shows its subject keeping his jawbones at rest, so that his words are (all) orderly. Occasion for repentance will disappear.
艮其辅, 以中正也. Gěn qí fǔ, yǐ zhōng zhèng yě.‘He keeps his cheek bones at rest:’ - in harmony with his central position he acts correctly.
上九: 敦艮, 吉. Shàng jiǔ: dūn gěn, jí.The sixth ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject devotedly maintaining his restfulness. There will be good fortune.
象传: 敦艮之吉, 以厚终也. Xiàng zhuàn: Dūn gěn zhī jí, yǐ hòu zhōng yě.‘There is good fortune through his devotedly maintaining his restfulness:’ - to the end he shows himself generous and good.